Overview

The work of famed author H.P. Lovecraft is once again brought to the screen in the horror hit Dagon. The film is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and is an overall fine looking transfer. A few mild inconsistencies float around the image (including some artifacting and a small amount of grain), though otherwise this is a very presentable looking picture which should please fans. The soundtrack is featured in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround and is a fair if unimpressive soundtrack. There are a few instances ...

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Overview

The work of famed author H.P. Lovecraft is once again brought to the screen in the horror hit Dagon. The film is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and is an overall fine looking transfer. A few mild inconsistencies float around the image (including some artifacting and a small amount of grain), though otherwise this is a very presentable looking picture which should please fans. The soundtrack is featured in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround and is a fair if unimpressive soundtrack. There are a few instances where the surround sound kicks in (i.e., a storm scene and during a few action sequences) and the mix is generally clear of any hiss or distortion. Also included on this disc are English and Spanish subtitles. The extra features are small but substantial, including two commentary tracks: one by director Stuart Gordon and writer Dennis Paoli and a second by Gordon and actor Ezra Godden. Taken as a whole, both of these commentaries should provide a wealth of production information for the consummate horror viewer. Also included on this disc are a few storyboards, some production art, and some theatrical trailers for other Lion's Gate films.

Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide
- Jason Buchanan

H.P. Lovecraft fans may well be the most elusive cinematic horror gold mine that filmmakers have yet to find an effective means to harvest. With a rich and imaginative body of work that has spawned some of the most memorable images in literary horror history and inspired such beloved contemporary genre masters as Stephen King and Clive Barker (whose works have also been adapted into less-than-stellar films), such efforts as The Dunwich Horror and The Unnameable have left Lovecraft fans waiting anxiously for someone to come along and get it right. And though this has happened on rare occasion (Dan O'Bannon's The Resurrected (1992) offered a fairly chilling adaptation of Lovecraft's The Case of Charles Dexter Ward), most film versions of Lovecraft's complex and far-reaching tales have failed to capture the essence of terror that he managed to imbue so effectively onto the written page. Though it's more of a hodgepodge of stories rather than a straight adaptation of the singular tale of Dagon, Stuart Gordon's return to Lovecraft land captures the supreme sense of dread represented in the best of Lovecraft's writings and manages to work it into a well-paced film with some great settings. The seaside town which has fallen prey to the influence of a malevolent sea deity named Dagon is a dank maze of crumbling buildings that becomes a terrifying character on its own terms. Additionally, Fantastic Factory has wisely opted for more traditional prosthetic effects rather than the current trend toward CGI-based animation, with the exception of a brief moment in the film's climax. In the world of Lovecraft's tentacle-bearing beasts, this choice seems far more realistic and provides an effective means of literally fleshing out the characters who have succumbed to Dagon's lures of wealth and prosperity. Though it's not perfect, Lovecraft fans will most likely be willing to forgive Dagon's shortcomings in favor of a film that obviously shows great respect and appreciation for its source materials.

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The Best Lovecraft Film Yet

After toying with Lovecraft in ReAnimator and From Beyond, Stuart Gordon hits a home run with this terrific horror film. This time, the film is quite faithful to the source material, though borrowing much from Shadow Over Innsmouth and other Lovecraft stories. From the first ten minutes I was riveted to everything in the story. A storm strands a small sailing vessel onto a rock, pinning a women to stone as her blood mixes with the flooding waters. A man and his wife paddle to a nearby town for help, only to be caught up in their worst nightmare. It just goes from bad to worse with haunting visuals and an ever-increasing sense of tension. This is what a real horror movie should be, it doesn't rely on a body count or extreme gore (though the movie does deliver in this respect too). It's about characters who are in a situation far beyond their comprehension. To say that the small fishing village on the shore harbors a secret is to say nothing of what is left to uncover. The effects might not be perfect by today's standards, but as it is a low-budget film, it's easy to overlook and forgive, besides, Gordon so capably sells the material on the screen that you don't care that it doesn't look effectively believable all the time. There's so many shocking surprises at every turn and they keep getting more incredible as the characters delve further into the mystery. If you like Lovecraft you have to see this film. If you're looking for a horror movie with more on its mind than a series of victims, you have to see this film. Great stuff.

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

Dagon Will Haunt Your Dreams!

Dagon is one of those movies that will pleasantly surprise you. It is about a workaholic that embarks on a pleasure outing with his ladyfriend and another couple, and end up fighting for his very soul. The movie has many twist and turns, but its the ending that will shock you! This is a movie for true sci-fi buffs. The scenery is dreary and bland, just right for a picture of this caliber. Dagon will haunt your dreams, especially if you have a fear of the sea.

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

''The Shadow Over Innsmouth'' delivers

This is one of two Lovecraft stories that's been well albeit loosely interpreted for the screen (the other is John Carpenter's ''In the Mouth of Madness''). It's _not_ Lovecraft's ''Dagon'', but instead quite another (and better) story (Google on ''gizmology lovecraft innsmouth'' to read the original online). The translation from a New England fishing village gone horribly wrong generations ago to a Spanish one in no way harms the story, the injection of subtle humor adds to it, and the ending may be better than Lovecraft's. The only problem I had with it had to do with the wonderful speeches of Ezequiel (played by actor Francisco Rabal, equivalent in the original ''... Innsmouth'' to Zadok Allen). Talk about an accent you could cut with a knife; this one would blunt the knife, and I regret being unable to interpret some of what was said. But this is a minor quibble, I can still recommend this as excellent cinema.

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

Dagon Delivers

Absolutely riveting...a definite must for any Lovecraft fan; done true to the source material with enough blood and gore to spice it up. The dialogue vacillating between Spanish and English not only added to the authenticity of the film, but in no way detracted from the frenetic action. Pick it up!

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